1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a beverage dispenser for mixing and dispensing a beverage consisting of measured quantities of a base liquid and a flavoring constituent and is particularly related to beverage dispensers wherein the flavoring constituent is provided in disposable, individual serving packets, and to snap-action fluid activated beverage dispensers wherein the flow of base liquid and flavoring constituent is controlled by a pilot flow of fluid under pressure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to provide a dispensing valve which employs carbonated water or the like as the base of many combination beverages, wherein it is required to activate the flow of carbonated water before the flow of the various flavoring constituents is introduced into a mixing nozzle and dispensed into a container as shown, by way of example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,187. As there shown, depression of a push-button advances a seated valve member out of sealing engagement with an aperture which is in communication with a source of carbonated water. The carbonated water, which is introduced into a nozzle, is allowed to proceed through the aperture into a valving chamber from which it is communicated to a second valve, producing enough pressure to force a selected beverage syrup into the nozzle where it is mixed with the carbonated water.
A snap-action device has also been found to provide a desirable dispensing method because of the resulting acurracy of control of the flow of beverage components into a mixing and dispensing nozzle. However, a major drawback is encountered because known devices are electrically operated as shown, by way of example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,163,177; 3,625,402 and 3,667,724. In each of these dispensers an electrically operated solenoid is employed to trigger the flow of beverage components into an outlet or nozzle from which the mixed beverage is dispensed into a suitable container. It is common to actuate these devices by providing a trip lever adjacent the nozzle which is engaged and tripped when the container is placed under the nozzle. The use of electrically operated solenoids requires a power source whenever the snap-action beverage dispensers are employed.
While the aforementioned pilot-flow system of U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,187 eliminates the need for the additional power source, it has the disadvantages overcome by snap-action devices.
It is also known to provide a beverage dispenser for mixing and dispensing a beverage consisting of measured quantities of a base liquid and a flavoring constituent wherein the base liquid and the flavoring constituent are simultaneously released into a mixing nozzle and dispensed, as disclosed in the foregoing patents. In these devices the flavoring constituent is supplied by an independent tube or flow path from one of a plurality of reservoirs to the mixing nozzle.